Biggest mistake
by Lord of the files
Summary: Rikku had asked him about his scar first…then about his biggest mistake. Auron’s biggest mistake?


Biggest mistake

It was a full moon lit night in the Calm lands. In the air you could smell burning logs with just a hint of grass mixed in. Auron was sitting by the fire absentmindedly sipping his flask. He heard Rikku stirring a little bit and turned his head to his left. She was starting to sit up and stretch when she noticed him. Rikku smiled before getting up quietly and walking over to him.

"Hey," she said softly, as she sat by his right side.

Auron considered her for a second and said quietly, "Go back to sleep…you need your rest."

"Well thank you Auron," she replied smiling, "But I'd much prefer to stay up a little."

He was quiet for a few moments before he said, "As you wish."

Both of them sat quietly, staring at the fire thinking different thoughts.

"How did you…" Rikku started softly turning her head towards him.

Auron waited for her to continue.

"Get your scar?" Rikku asked softly.

He turned his head towards her and regarded her for a second then he said, "I underestimated an opponent."

As her mouth formed into an 'oh' expression, Auron took another sip from his flask.

"Was it your biggest mistake?"

Auron didn't look away from the fire as he remembered bigger mistakes…

* * *

"They died because they had hope." 

Auron let out a battle scream and charged at the woman. He leapt in the air to slice her into two pieces.

'One for Braska, and One for Jecht,' Auron thought angrily.

But he stopped right in front of her. Looking down with his eyes he saw that Yunalesca had stopped him with her finger. Her hand moving quickly up, her fingernail leaving a trail of open skin behind it. She went from the right of his chin to all the way to the top of his forehead before he was thrown back in the air. He tumbled as he hit the ground hard. His sword stuck in the ground about away from him. Auron tried to open his eyes but couldn't. His right eye refused to open, so he only opened his left and looked around. She was leaving.

He coughed up a little blood and said as he started to stand up, "Where do you think you are going?"

She turned to face him, as he limped to his sword, and with one hand picking it up. With the other hand holding the right side of his face and thinking, 'Never underestimate anyone again. Anyone can be strong…even little woman like the one before him.'

"Poor creature," she said sadly, "You have no hope left…I must spare you of the pain that grief will cause."

Auron scowled, 'People didn't need the "hope" she talked of. What they needed was self-strength to fight the grief. What they need was the self-confidence that Yevon chipped away at with its "teachings".'

He let his hand drop from his face and grab the hilt of the blade. Letting out another battle scream he charged at her, with the blade sticking out horizontally. As he got closer she made no move, and a more rational Auron would have caught this. But he wasn't thinking about that. The blade was on her and would have effectively slid inside of her if it had not gone through her instead. Auron stumbled a few steps extra…he wasn't use to that happening.

"Poor creature," Yunalesca repeated sadly.

Auron was about to scowl again when he was suddenly in the air again. Lady Yunalesca…she…she had punched him! Hard. His back hit the door to her grounds and pushed them open. He tumbled down the stairs and landed at the bottom of them. Eye moving frantically he saw his sword at his left side. Picking it up he was startled at the pain that shot through his arm.

'Odd,' Auron thought, 'Must be broken.'

But his he could not make a more through investigation because she had entered. Quickly, Auron moved the sword from his left arm to his right.

"Let me be your light that guides you to paradise."

Looking up he knew that he stood no chance. Not alone. Not with one eye and one useless arm. He had no choice…Auron would have to run. Switching his attention to his left arm, knowing that if he ran it would only cause it problems, he made a makeshift sling by taking it out of its sleeve and letting it hang limp in the opening of his jacket. She was slowly moving down those steps and when Auron was done she was close.

'This is it,' he thought, 'Do you run or end your story here?'

Then it occurred to him. He had two promises to keep. He couldn't end his story yet…not yet! Swallowing some dignity, Auron turned and ran to the elevator. Daring to look behind him, he saw Lady Yunalesca slowly following him. Panting slightly he turned his attention to what was in front him. It was closer now, not too far now. That is when he saw a golden circle appear in front of him. From out of the circle a masked woman popped out. Cold laughter came from her as it reached inside of him with razor claws. Auron stood dumb founded for a second until it retrieved its hand. There was nothing in its palm and it closed its fist in frustration. Then it left, and Auron quickly started to run again.

'That,' Auron thought, 'was close.'

He had made it to the elevator, and started it immediately. It was getting harder to stand for some reason, and he feel to his knees. Equipping his sword, he used it as leverage. A crutch if you will. The elevator stopped and Auron used his newfound crutch to start walking forward. He was going to get away. He had to get away. Braska's daughter and Jecht's son depended on him. He wasn't going to fail them like he failed his friends. Just thinking about how pointless their deaths were made Auron's blood boiling. He tried to talk to them, but they wouldn't listen. They were clinging to that belief that Sin wouldn't come back. They didn't stop to think that because Lady…no she wasn't a lady…because Yunalesca kept on doing this for a thousand years meant that she knew that Sin would come back everytime. But no…they wouldn't listen.

He had to stop. Where Yunalesca had punched him was aching. So he stopped for a second inside the dome.

"It was pointless my lord," Auron yelled in the emptiness of the dome, hearing his voice echo both in the dome and his mind. He sat there thinking as his echo continued.

"It was not pointless…they brought hope to the people."

Auron turned suddenly and saw her walking calmly to him. His eyes narrowed and it hurt him to do so. His right eye bled a little.

"Hope is not what they need," Auron said standing up.

Yunalesca smiled, "Yes it is. It lets them live everyday. It lets them be able to accept the fact that Sin is Spira."

He shook his head and started to stumble off.

"Very well then," Yunalesca said behind him sighing.

Auron turned his head to the right instinctively and mentally kicked himself as he turned to the left. She was fusing some of the pyreflies together and speaking softly. So softly that he could not hear her, but he decided that it could only mean trouble for him. He started to stumble down faster, when he heard a roar behind him. Faster he moved as he looked behind him. Yunalesca had made a monster of a fiend. It was a giant blue, tusked with mini spines coming out of them, long threads of mane attached to its back that looked like wings, and most importantly it was moving towards him. Slowly at first as it got use to having four legs.

'My story can't end yet! Not yet!'

Auron heaved himself over a rail and dropped to the ground. A groan escaped his lips as he landed on his arm. The fiend made its presence known as its grotesque head peaked in on him. Turning and heaving his sword it connected on the fiends face. It let out a roar and tried to gorge him with its tusks. He was already moving though.

'I can't decide if my story was meant to end…my story might already be over,' Auron thought bitterly, 'But I must see that my promises go through. I promised Lord Braska…Jecht…I won't stop until they are through.'

Auron looked behind him and the fiends 'wings' were standing straight up. They started to glow. He quickly looked around and saw a small bridge. Moving as quickly as he could, he dove under it. Relief filled him when the blasts from the wings hit the bridge above. Then pain filled him. He shouldn't have dove.

'After this,' Auron though smiling, 'I need a drink.'

Shaking his head, 'This is not the time for cheer yet.'

He got up and stumbled forward. The fiend was moving too but it appeared to have some trouble following him. Pushing the pain to the back of his mind, Auron started to run. Instantly he had to grind his teeth. The pain. The pain. It seeped into his every thought.

'No,' he cried out in his mind, 'Replace it. Think of your promises. Think of them.'

And when he did he moved without pain. For a little bit until he was climbing Gagazet. Then he had to drop. The pain was unbearable.

He chuckled bitterly to himself, 'Never get another woman angry Auron…they hit hard.'

Shaking his head, 'This is not the time for jokes.'

Crawling now, because he could no longer feel his legs, he moved up Gagazet. It took him a long time to get to the peek, with the frequent breaks and with pulling with one hand. A roar. Auron looked behind him; he would not be in the right position to fight the fiend. But it was not there…

"Poor Kimahri, Weak Kimahri…should have declared to Sacred Mount Gagazet that Biran winner. Now he be little hornless Ronso."

Auron heard laughter after that statement then, "Hornless…hornless."

Using his blade, Auron stood up. Walking slowly and carefully he made it to the peek. There was a small Ronso sitting covering his face from shame. Auron could see the broken horn from in-between the Ronso's fingers. Then the Ronso stiffened and looked at Auron. Auron tried to stand tall, but failed. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

"Sir Auron injured much," the Ronso asked him.

Auron would have looked at him with contempt for the Sir in his name, but since he had yet to master that with one eye…

"Yes," he whispered.

The Ronso picked him up effortlessly and then started to walk down the path that only a few hours ago, Auron and his summoner had walked down.

"Let me down," Auron said forcefully.

Kimahri, he guessed, let him down. Auron would lean on his sword and walked down the mountain. Occasionally it would look like he would topple over, but Kimahri would quickly put a steady hand on his shoulder.

"Kimahri," Auron said his voice raspy.

"Yes, Sir Auron?"

"I would like you to do me a favor."

Kimahri was quiet for a moment, "Kimahri does not deserve—"

"Redeem yourself by doing this for me," Auron said not going to play the pity game.

Kimahri was again quiet for a while before Auron continued, "Go to Bevelle. Ask for Yuna, Daughter of Braska. Protect her."

Auron stopped talking and waited.

"Yes, Sir Auron, Kimahri will protect Lady Yuna."

Now it was Auron's turn to be quiet before saying, "Thank you."

"Now go!" Auron yelled at the Ronso, "Go to her, Protect her!"

Kimahri nodded and then started to run ahead of him. Auron continued for a few more steps before he fell to the ground. Shaking his head, he started to crawl. He didn't know how long he crawled when Rin found him…

* * *

Rikku was waiting for an answer to her question. He appeared to be in deep thought and she didn't want to disturb him. 

"No," he said suddenly, surprising her, "It wasn't."

"Could you tell me what was?" Rikku asked sweetly.

He turned his head to her and said smiling, "Not staying longer in the Thunder plains."

Rikku opened her mouth in protest but at first no words came, then, "That's…That's just MEAN!"


End file.
